June 6, 2007

PRESS RELEASE OF Dr. SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY

June 6, 2007

1. An official of the Prime Minister's office told me last night that the Union Cabinet had asked the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mr.Suresh Pachouri to fly by special plane to Jhoteshwar, Madhya Pradesh to meet Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, one of the Jagadguru Shankaracharyas at his Ashram. Mr.Suresh Pachouri, also a long-term devotee of the Shankaracharya, met him yesterday afternoon to seek the Acharya's help in containing the growing VHP-led agitation for protecting the Rama Setu.

2. Mr.Pachauri told the Acharya, according to PMO source, that the Centre has decided to abandon the plan to breach the Rama Setu for the Setu Samudrum Canal Project, and seek "an amicable way out". The Prime Minister has also told the DMK nominee as Union Shipping Minister, T.R.Baalu "not to touch the Rama Setu".

However, Ms.Sonia Gandhi is reportedly keen that the "credit" for abandoning the project's plan to destruct the Rama Setu does not go to the VHP and RSS.

Hence the brief given to Mr.Pachauri was to involve Swami Swaroopanand whose pro-Congress credentials are well known, to "negotiate" with the Union Government and reach a settlement.

3.In a massive rally organized by the VHP on May 27th at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan at which I was also a speaker, the venerated sadhus from all over India resolved under the chairmanship of Pejawar Mutt Swamiji, to give an ultimatum to the Union Government to stop the attempted destruction of the Rama Setu, built by Lord Rama's Vanar Sena as a causeway to enable the Lord's army to cross into Sri Lanka where Sita Devi was kept prisoner by Ravana.

4.The Madras High Court has admitted the three Writ Petitions filed on this issue by the Hindu Munnani and myself on May 15, 2007. The matter for stay of the project will be heard by the Court on June 14th.

(SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY)

Centre rigid over Setu Samundran: Shankaracharya - Central Chronicle

Bhopal, June 5: Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati today said the Centre had adopted a rigid stand over Setu Samundran project forcing devotees of Lord Rama and believers of the country's history to prepare for a struggle.

"Setu Samundran project is a challenge, which we need to accept and struggle for safeguarding our national self-respect and beliefs. Our posterity would not forgive us if we fail to discharge our responsibility to protect the Ram Setu," the Shankaracharya said, in a statement issued here today.

He said people would be prepared for peaceful struggle to create pressure on the Centre in this regard. The Shankaracharya called upon Madhya Pradesh residents to brace themselves for the struggle rising above all political ideologies.

Pachouri meets Shankaracharya on Ram Setu issue

Bhopal, June 5: Union Minister of State for Personnel and Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachori today said the Central government was making serious efforts to find an amicable solution to the vexed Ram Setu issue. After a one-to-one talks with Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati at the latter's Ashram at Jhoteshwar near Narsinghpur for about 20 minutes last night, Pachouri said that he would convey Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other ministers concerned about the discussion he had with the Shankracharya.

He claimed that earlier also, he had arranged a meeting of the Shankaracharya's representatives with the Prime Minister and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on the Ram Setu issue. After participating in a Congress training camp here, he held talks with the Shankaracharya at Paramhansi Ganga Ashram.

After the talks, Swami Swaroopanand said that he was optimistic that the Central government would forthwith stop demolition of the Ram Setu as it was a centre of religious faith for Hindus. The Shankaracharya said that since it was the government's duty to take care of forest and wildlife, similarly it also became its responsibility to conserve marine life and symbols of mythological significance. "Adverse consequences could be seen if Ram Setu was demolished", the Shankaracharya added.